and a city in al-Shām. The people will be seized by panic three times. Then the Dajjāl will emerge while people are heedless and rout those in the east. The first city he reaches will be the one at the meeting of the two seas. Its inhabitants will divide into three groups: one will say, ‘We will test him and see what he is’; another will join the Bedouins; and another will move to the next city. The Dajjāl will be accompanied by seventy thousand wearing cloaks, and most of his followers will be Jews and women. He will then come to the next city, whose inhabitants will divide into three groups: one will say, ‘We will test him and see what he is’; another will join the Bedouins; and another will move to the next city, in western al-Shām.

The Muslims will withdraw to the pass of Afīq. They will send out their livestock to graze, but their livestock will suffer harm. This will weigh heavily upon them, and they will suffer severe famine and great hardship, until one of them will even burn his bowstring and eat it.

While they are in this state, a caller will cry out shortly before dawn, ‘O people, help has come to you!’ (three times). They will say to one another, ‘That is surely the voice of a man who has eaten his fill.’

Jesus son of Mary (peace be upon him) will descend at the time of the dawn prayer. Their leader will say to him, ‘O Spirit of Allah, come forward and lead the prayer.’ He will reply, ‘In this community, some are leaders over others.’ Their leader will then step forward and lead the prayer. When he has finished praying, Jesus will take his spear and go towards the Dajjāl. When the Dajjāl sees him, he will melt as lead melts. Jesus will thrust his spear into the centre of his chest and kill him, and the Dajjāl’s followers will flee in defeat. Nothing on that day will conceal any of them. Even a tree will say to the believer, ‘O believer, here is a disbeliever,’ and a stone will say, ‘O believer, here is a disbeliever.’”

Recorded by Ahmad (4/216–217) and al-Hākim (4/478–479).